1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a container for containing and displaying a product, and in particular to a multi-piece container for cosmetic related products having at least one transparent section for viewing the contents within the container.
2. The Related Art
Any number of containers for containing cosmetic related products are available and well known in the art. In large part, the general shape of the container is dictated by the particular cosmetic related product to be held in the container. That is, over time, certain container shapes or styles have been adopted industry wide as the style of container to be used for a particular type of product. Examples of this industry wide acceptance can be seen in the similarity of the containers often used by different manufacturer to hold products such as nail polish and lipstick.
At least one reason for the uniformity in container design is the functional superiority of certain container designs. Another less obvious reason is that, in the past, cosmetic related products had not been designed to have any aesthetic value independent of the containers in which they were held. Recently, in an effort to distinguish their products, manufacturers have focused on designing products that are functional, yet unique and aesthetically appealing. For example, certain types of cosmetic eye and face treatments have been fabricated for sale in a capsular form rather than in their traditional forms, i.e., liquid or lotion. One advantage of the capsule is that it permits the product to be dispensed in a measured or metered quantity which controls waste and overuse of the product. A further advantage is that the a unique capsule design may act as a signature identifying a specific manufacturer to help distinguish its products from those of another in the mind of a consumer. Thus it is desirable for such capsules or otherwise decorative products to be prominently displayed within a container so as to be easily viewed by the consumers of such products. To that end, cosmetic packaging has been provided with a transparent section or window that permits the consumer to view the product through a sealed container.
One such container having a transparent portion is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,082. This patent discloses a container having a receptacle defining a lower portion of the container and a lid defining an upper portion of the container. The lid and receptacle are separated by a separate seal member positioned therebetween. As disclosed, the cosmetic products or contents are contained below the seal member and within the receptacle. The lid and seal member are transparent so that the products may be seen without actually opening the container.
Although the prior art container is generally effective in permitting the consumer to view its contents, the contents are not prominently displayed. In order for the consumer to view the products, the consumer must have a vantage point that allows the consumer to view the product first through the transparent lid and then through the transparent seal member. To the extent the consumer does not have such a vantage point, the decorative cosmetic-related product may be overlooked, thwarting the manufacturer's objective in using a uniquely designed product.
Thus, the need remain for a multi-piece container which contains and adequately displays the cosmetic-related products within.
In accordance with the present invention, it is an object to provide a container comprising a lower or base portion and a transparent upper or cover portion.
It is a further object to provide a container comprising a lower or base portion and a transparent upper or cover portion wherein the cover portion is closed off by a sealing member to define a display chamber within the cover portion.
It is still another object to provide a container comprising a lower or base portion and a transparent upper or cover portion including a display chamber which is divided by a partition to define first and second compartments for separately displaying and holding more than one product or more than one type of product in a single container.